Director, Networking

Gruve

5d•$220,000 - $275,000

About The Position

About Gruve Gruve is an innovative software services startup dedicated to transforming enterprises to AI powerhouses. We specialize in cybersecurity, customer experience, cloud infrastructure, and advanced technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs). Our mission is to assist our customers in their business strategies utilizing their data to make more intelligent decisions. As a well-funded early-stage startup, Gruve offers a dynamic environment with strong customer and partner networks. About the Role We are seeking a Director, Networking to lead the strategy, architecture, and customer adoption of next-generation networking solutions for AI inference data centers. This role uniquely blends internal technical leadership with external customer engagement, with approximately 50% of time dedicated to defining and evolving network strategy, and 50% spent working directly with customers as a solution architect. You will operate at the intersection of cutting-edge AI infrastructure and real-world deployment, translating emerging technologies into scalable, high-performance, and customer-ready solutions.

Requirements

12+ years of experience in data center networking, with deep expertise in large-scale fabric design
Proven experience architecting high-performance networks for AI/ML, HPC, or cloud infrastructure environments
Strong expertise in Ethernet-based fabrics, TCP/IP, RDMA/RoCE, and modern Clos architectures
Experience with AI infrastructure components such as GPUs, DPUs/SmartNICs, and high-speed interconnects
Demonstrated ability to define technical strategy and influence product or infrastructure roadmaps
Significant customer-facing experience in solution architecture, technical sales, or consulting roles
Strong communication and presentation skills, including executive-level engagement

Nice To Haves

Experience with AI inference and training clusters, including GPU fabrics and storage networking
Familiarity with SONiC, network automation (Terraform, Python), and zero-touch provisioning
Knowledge of emerging technologies such as CXL, NVLink, and in-network computing
Background in technical marketing, product management, or technology evangelism
Experience speaking at industry events or contributing to thought leadership

Responsibilities

Define and drive the end-to-end networking strategy for AI inference data centers, including fabric design, topology, and technology selection
Architect high-performance, low-latency, and scalable network fabrics optimized for AI inference workloads (Ethernet, RDMA/RoCE, and emerging interconnects)
Evaluate and incorporate next-generation technologies (e.g., 400G/800G+, SmartNICs/DPUs, CXL, SONiC, Ultra Ethernet) into future-ready designs
Develop reference architectures, validated designs, and best practices for large-scale AI clusters and inference environments
Partner with engineering, product management, and infrastructure teams to align roadmap with business and customer needs
Influence industry direction through standards bodies, ecosystem partnerships, and technology evaluations
Serve as a trusted advisor and technical leader to customers designing and deploying AI inference infrastructure
Lead solution design, requirements gathering, and architecture reviews for enterprise and hyperscale customers
Present technical strategies and architectures to executive and technical stakeholders
Translate complex networking and AI infrastructure concepts into clear business value and deployment guidance
Support go-to-market efforts through customer engagements, workshops, and field enablement
Drive adoption by helping customers bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and production deployment